Producing equipment for wells



A. J. PENICK PRODUCING EQUIPMENT FOR WELLS Nov. 22, 1949 5- Sheets-Sheetl Filed Dec. 16, 1944 Novv 22, 1949 A. J. PENlcK 2,488,931

PRODUCING EQUIPMENT FOR WELLS Filed Dec. 16, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 40/E A15/1 Pl fs 4% fi-E ,5% 44 E 46m .Z Jwvm/VOL /e @14m/.w114

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Patented Nov. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES TENT QFFICE PRODUCING EQUIPMENT FORWELLS Arthur .l1 Paniek, Houston, Tex., assigner to Oil Center 'ioolCompany, Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas 6 Claims. l

This invention relates to producing equipment for wells.

An object of the invention is to provide a producing string of pipewhereby production from a well may be carried on from two or moreproducing strata simultaneously.

Another object of the invention is to provide equipment of the characterdescribed whereby producing strata in a well may be sealed olf so thatproduction may be carried on from either stratum' independently of theother stratum, or strata, in the well.

The invention further embodies novel means for sealing the separate iiowconduits so as to prevent leakage and to conline the flow from anyparticular stratum to the conduit provided for that stratum.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particularrelation to certain novel features of construction, arrangement of partsand use, an example of which is given in this specification andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a vertical, sectional View of the upper end of theequipment.

Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 show side views, partly in section, ofintermediate sections from above downwardly.

Figure 6 shows a vertical, sectional View of the lower end or" theequipment.

Figure '.7 shows a cross, sectional view taken on the line 'lL-'i ofFigure 1; and

Figures 8 and 9 show elevational views of the upper and lower ends,respectively, of the complete equipment shown partly in section.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals ofreference designate the same parts in each of the gures, the numeral Idesignates a cylindrical head which is provided with the longitudinalbores 2 and 3.

The bore i2 extends entirely through the head and the bore 3 extendsfrom the lower end of the head only partly up through the head and itsupper end terminates in the lateral outlet opening 4.

Screwed onto the upper end of the head there is a tubular coupling and atubular reducing nipple is screwed into the upper end of said couplingforming a connection for the outlet pipe 1 which leads up to the tubinghead or other flow connections of conventional construction.

The lower end of the head l is enlarged in outside diameter forming anexternal, annular, upwardly facing shoulder 3 and tted over the tix headthere is a ianged coupling 9 whose upper 55 end is inwardly thickenedforming an inside downwardly facing shoulder I@ engageable with theshoulder 8. The lower end of the coupling 9 is internally threaded andthe upper end of a tubular section of pipe II is screwed into it. Theupper end of this section of pipe has a cross web I2 formed integrallytherewith and which has the internally threaded bo-res I3, I4therethrough which are aligned with the bores 2 and 3, respectively.

There is an upstanding tubular nipple I5 Whose lower end is screwed intothe bore I3 and which extends up into the bore 2.

There is a flow tube to which will be more specifically described laterherein but whose upper end telescopes up into the bore 3.

The lower ends of the bores 2 and 3 are enlarged internally forming theinside shoulders I'I and I8 therein and within these enlarged portionsare the expansible sleeves E9 and 253 which surround the nipple I5 andthe upper end of the flow tube le, respectively. There is a metal ringwhich abuts the shoulder Il and rests on the sleeve Ie and this sleeveis supported on a metal ring 22 which, in turn, is Supported on theupper end of the pipe section Il.

A metal ring 23 abuts the shoulder I8 and is supported on the sleeve 2i?and the lower end of this sleeve is supported on a metal sleeve 24 whichsurrounds the flow tube It and whose lower end is screwed into the boreI4.

It is to be noted that when the shoulder I8 hangs on the shoulder l! thelower end of the head I will be spaced a distance above the upper end ofthe pipe section II so that when the producing equipment is set in thewell casing, as hereinafter described, the weight of the head I and theequipment thereon, will exert an endwise compressive force on thepacking sleeves i9 and 2i! so as to form fluid tight seals about thenipple I5 and the upper end of the iiow tube I6.

The pipe II may be formed of sections connected by a coupling, orcouplings, as 25 and connected to its lower end is the tubular sub 265to the lower end of which the upper, tubular, packer body 2i isconnected. This body has an external, annular downwardly facing shoulder28 thereon and spaced beneath said shoulder and surrounding said bodythere is the upper slip ring 2e which has the upwardly facing externalannular shoulder 39 therearound beneath its upper end. An uppersleeve-like packer 3l surrounds the packer body 21 with its upper andlower ends abutting the upper and lower shoulders 28 and 3l?. The packer3l is preferably formed of lead with hard metal rings as 32 imbeddedtherein terminating in upper end lower sharp edges as shown in Figure 2.These hard metal rings secure a more uniform expansion of the sleeve 3|.The lower end or the packer body is splined to the slip ring by means ofthe spline 33 so as to prevent independent rotation but so as to permitthe body 2l to move downwardly relative to the slip ring. The slip ringis prevented from detachment from' the body by means of a ring nut Sescrewed onto the lower end or the body. The slip ring is also pinned tothe body by means of a shearable pin 35.

The lower end of the slip ring is threaded into the up er end of thepipe section :it to the lower end of which a perforated section ofscreen pipe as 3l is connected.

Screwed onto the lower end of the screen pipe 3? there is a lower packerbody 38 having an ternal annular downwardly facing shoulder 33 andaround the lower end of the lower packer body 3S there is lower slipring lil having the external annular upwardly facilirr shoulder iibeneath its upper end.

Surrounding the lower packer body there is a sleeve-like packer 42 whoseupper end abuts the shoulder 3d and whose lower end abuts the shoulderdl. This packer is in all respects similar to the upper packer 3l.

It may be here stated, however, that while a speciiic type of upper andlower packers have been shown any conventional type of packer may beused.

The slip ring 4l) is splined on the body 38 by means of the spline i3which permits said body 3S to move downwardly relative to the slip ringIl@ but its upward movement is limited by the ring nut lll which isscrewed onto the lower end of said lower body 38. The slip ring 4U isalso pinned to the body 38 by means of a frangible pin A5. The pin 45 issomewhat weaker than the pin 35 so that it will shear and the lowerpacker will be set, or expanded i'irst, that is, bef-ore the expansionof the packer 3l as will be more fully explained later.

The numeral lit designates a tubular slip carrier whose upper end is`screwed onto the lower end of the slip ring All, whose intermediateportion is formed into a downwardly tapering slip expander 45a and whoselower end is formed into the tubular extension Mib. Slidable on theextension ith are the upper and lower collars 4l and 48 to which theupper and lower ends of the outwardly bowed springs 49 are attached.These springs frictionally engage the casing 53 with which the well boreis cased and this casing is perforated opposite the upper oil bearingstatum 5|, as shown in Figure 8.

Loosely connected to the upper collar i? and having a swivellingconnection therewith are the casing engaging slips 52 whose inner sidesare tapered to conform to the taper of the expander 4ta and whose outersurfaces are toothed to engage the casing. Each slip has a longitudinalgroove 53 on its outer surface and at the bottoms of the grooves are thelongitudinal slots 54. Set screws 55 extend through said slots and arescrewed into the expander 5a with their heads in said grooves. These setscrews hold the slip jaws against the tapering' surface of saidexpander.

The lower end of the lower collar 48 is formed into a J-hook 5S havingthe transverse J-slot 51 therein and a pin 58 is secured to the tubularextension 58h and works in said slot.

Screwed onto the lower end of said extension 4Gb there is a lowertubular sub 59 suspended from which is a length of pipe 60.

Fastened in the lower end of the tubular extension 46h and closing saidend there is a block El. The ilow tube I5 extends down through theproducing string assembly as above described and its lower end isthreaded through the block 6|.

The apparatus is assembled as shown in Figures l to 6, inclusive, and islowered into the well casing until the upper packing sleeve 3! is abovethe producing stratum lil and the lower packer sleeve 52 is beneath saidstratum. While being lowered the pin 58 will be located in the slot Elso that the expander ita cannot move downwardly relative to the slipsand prematurely expand them. The producing string may then be elevatedand turned to the left to carry the pin 58 out of the slot 5l andlowered. The slips will be held against downward movement by the springsi9 and the expander 46a will expand said slips into engagement with thewell casing, as shown in Figure 9. The slip carrier and slip ring fidiwill be thus anchored against further downward movement. The weightabove will then shear the pin d and lower packer body 3? will movedownwardly thus expanding the lower sleeve like packer '52 into theposition shown in Figure 9 to form a seal with the outer casing. Thescreen 3l, pipe section 35 and the upper slip ring 2li are thereby heldagainst further downward movement and thereupon the weight above willshear the pin 35 and the upper body 2'! will move on downwardly andexpand the packer 3i into the i, position shown in Figure 8 thus forminga seal with the outer casing Eil. The producing stratum 5l will thus besealed off from the strata above and beneath. Fluid flowing from beneaththe lower packer will thus flow upwardly through the iiow tube l@ and onup through the bore 3 and out through the side slot l will on up to theground surface through the casing; fluid ilowing from the stratum Elwill ow in through the screen 3T and on up around the flow tube it andthrough the bore 2 and thence through the coupling 5, the nipple 5 andthe outlet pipe l.

The producing equipment will be provided, at the ground surface, withany conventional type of well head having flow connection leadingtherefrom and by means of which the ilow from the different strata maybe controlled.

What I claim is:

l. In producing equipment for wells, a tubular string, a head thereonhaving a longitudinal bore extending from the lower end thereof into thehead and having a lateral outlet, a ilow tube within the string whoseupper end extends into said bore, an expansible seal in the head aroundsaid ilow tube, said head having also a longitudinal bore extending fromthe lower end to the upper end thereof, a tubular nipple whose lower endis anchored to the string and which extends up into said last mentionedbore, an expansible seal in the head around the nipple, telescopingmeans connecting the head into the string, said head having a limitedlongitudinal movement relative to said connecting means, and means inthe head arranged to engage the ends of the seals to support the sealsand to apply a compressive force to said seals to expand said seals upondownward movement of the head relative to said connecting means.

2. In producing equipment for wells, a tubular string, a couplingconnected in the string, a head having a limited longitudinal movementin the coupling, said head having a bore extending from the lower endthereof and terminating beneath the upper end thereof in a lateraloutlet, a ow tube in the string whose upper end extends into said bore,an expansible seal in the head around said flow tube, said head havingalso a longitudinal bore extending entirely therethrough, a nipplesupported by the string and extending up into said last mentioned bore,an expansible seal around said nipple and means in the head arranged toengage the ends of the seals and apply a compressive force to said sealsto expand said seals upon downward movement of the head relative to thecoupling.

3. Producing equipment for wells comprising, a tubular string, upper andlower expansible packers thereon adapted to form seals with the casingof the well above and below a producing stratum, said string beingperforated between the packers to permit the iniiow of fluid from saidstratum, a 4closure for the lower end of the string, a head connected inthe string by means of a telescoping connection and having a boreterminating in a side outlet, a flow tube within the string having itslower end anchored to said closure, said tube having its upper endextending telescopically within the bore in the head, an expansible sealaround the upper portion of the tube conned within a recess in the headand having its lower end supported by the string with its upper endengaged by the head, said head having a second bore leading entirelytherethrough from end to end, a tubular nipple anchored to the stringand extending telescopically into the second bore of the head, anexpansible seal around said nipple conned within a recess in the headand having its lower end supported by the string with its upper endengaged by the head, the telescoping connection between the head and thestring permitting said head to be moved downwardly relative to thestring, whereby the head applies a compressive force tothe seals aroundthe ow tube and tubular nipple to deform said seals into sealingposition.

4. Producing equipment for wells comprising, a tubular string, a head onthe upper end of the string having a bore therethrough which opensoutside of the string, said head having a telescoping connection withthe string, upper and lower expansible packers thereon adapted to formseals with the Walls of the well above and below a producing stratum,said string being perforated between the packers to permit the inow offluid from said stratum, a flow tube within said string, the lower endof said ow tube being sealed with respect to the lower end of the stringand communicating with the well bore beneath, and whose upper endtelescopes and communicates with the bore in said head and through itwith the well bore exterior of the string, said string and said flowtubing forming separate channels, one leading from the sealed offstratum and the other leading from the well beneath the string, a sealconned within the head between said head and the string and surroundingthe upper portion of the flow tube sealing off around said tube, saidseal being arranged to be expanded by the weight of the equipmentmounted on the string when the head is telescoped relative to thestring.

5. In producing equipment for wells, a tubular string having a couplingconnected therein, a head telescopically connected with the coupling andnormally in an extended position relative thereto, said head having abore extending from the lower end thereof and terminating in a lateraloutlet abo-ve the coupling, a flow tube extending through the string andhaving its upper end telescoping said bore, said bore having its lowerportion formed with an annular recess, an expansible seal surroundingthe flow tube and having its upper portion confined within the recess,and means attached to the lower end of the coupling for supporting theseal upon the flow tube, the head engaging the upper end of the sealwhereby movement of said seal into a sealing position for sealing offbetween the tube and the bore of the head is effected when the head istelescoped from a normally extended position with respect to thecoupling and supporting means.

6. Producing equipment as set forth in claim 5, together with a secondbore extending entirely through the head from end to end thereof, atubular conduit mounted within the second bore, and an expansible sealaround said conduit confined within the head and supported by thestring, whereby telescoping movement of the head with respect to thestring moves said sealing means into sealing position around saidconduit.

ARTHUR J. PEN'ICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,274,407 Hammer Feb. 24, 19422,368,428 Saurenman Jan. 30, 1945 2,433,942 Works Jan. 6. 1948

